Military to Protect U.S. Aid Teams in Iraq

The announcement followed months of disagreement between the Pentagon and the State Department over whether to use U.S. troops or private security guards to ensure the safety of dozens of diplomats, aid workers and other civilian specialists who would staff the new outposts. State has argued that the teams warrant U.S. military protection, but the Pentagon, eager to reduce the number of U.S. troops in Iraq, had resisted committing to the new mission.

Is the next step Rumsfeld pulling out Marines from guarding the US Naval Academy? Wait, that’s already been done. Perhaps pulling them out of all diplomatic posts? That might just be necessary just to protect the new Baghdad base, er, embassy.